Typically, when relatively flat articles for sale are packaged, such as prepaid phone cards, they are displayed in relatively flat packages. For example, conventional packages that allow successful display of prepaid phone cards or the like, are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,381, 5,791,474 and 5,842,629 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein). Such displays allow a card to be displayed in a relatively large package, yet allow the card to be activated without separating the card from the package.
While the packages described in the above mentioned patents are successful in performing many of the desired functions, for some retail establishments they do not have the appropriate perceived value, nor do they properly occupy retail display areas in the manner that many retailers desire. While for some product those problems may be remedied by utilizing a conventional plastic clamshell package, such clamshell packages are expensive to ship because of their inherent volume, the per piece cost of shipping being much higher than for products such as in the aforementioned patents.
According to the present invention a method of packaging and displaying a relatively flat article, and an intermediate package, and a completed packaging containing such an article, are provided which have the advantages of both conventional relatively large and thick packages like clamshell packages, and relatively flat packages such as in the aforementioned patents. The present invention provides an intermediate package that may be shipped in a low volume configuration, and then quickly and easily expanded at or near the display location so that it has significant thickness. For example, according to the invention the final package produced may easily be made 3/4 inch thick so that when it is displayed on J-hooks, or like hooks in retail establishments, a hook does not look empty even if there is only one package hanging on it, and a very aesthetic display is provided. Also because of the bulk of the package it is not easy to shoplift, yet it can be opened and closed (typically without the relatively flat article being packaged being readily removable therefrom) without destroying the package, and it is essentially as inexpensive to ship as the substantially flat packages shown in the aforementioned patents.
According to one aspect of the present invention a method of packaging and displaying a relatively flat article is provided comprising: (a) Cutting a box blank from a sheet or web of paperboard, the blank having first and second major surfaces. (b) Attaching the relatively flat article to the first major surface of the blank. (c) Folding the blank around the relatively flat article, and attaching portions of the blank to each other, to form an intermediate package and so that the first major surface is at least primarily an inner surface of the intermediate package, and so that the second major surface is at least primarily an outer surface of the intermediate package, and so that the intermediate package is also substantially flat, having a first interior volume. Then (d) shipping the substantially flat intermediate package to at or near a display location. Then (e) at or near the display location, expanding the substantially flat intermediate package so that it has a second interior volume greater than the first interior volume, to form a completed package. (f) Acting on the completed package to maintain it in completed package form. And then (g) displaying the completed package from (f) at the display location.
According to one aspect of the invention the substantially flat article is a prepaid phone card having machine readable activation indicia thereon; and the method further comprises, prior to (c), cutting an opening in the blank; and wherein (c) is practiced by affixing the phone card to the blank so that the machine readable activation indicia is visible through the opening in the blank so that the phone card can be activated without removing the phone card from the completed package. Typically (a)-(e) are practiced so that the second volume is at least three times the first volume, and the completed package is at least about 0.7 inches thick.
In the method preferably (b) is practiced using removable adhesive acting substantially directly between the article and the blank first surface. Also, preferably (c) is practiced in part by affixing portions of the blank first surface to portions of the second surface using permanent adhesive. Desirably (a) and (c) are practiced so as to provide end closing flaps for the completed package; and (f) is practiced to move the end closing flaps into position so as to close the completed package and maintain the completed package in expanded condition; and typically (a) and (c) are further practiced to provide an interior support web moveable between non-supporting and supporting positions. Also, (f) is preferably further practiced to move the support web to its supporting position. For example, (b) and (c) may be further practiced so that the support web at least assists in holding the article in position within the intermediate package.
In the practice of the invention typically the intermediate package has opposite closed side edges, and opposite open ends; and (e) is practiced to squeeze the closed side edges toward each other. For example, (f) is practiced to close the opposite open ends; and (a)-(g) are practiced using a prepaid phone card, debit card, substantially flat pharmacy product, gift certificate, pad of specialty paper, inflatable primarily elastomeric element, electronic remote control, or printed publication, as the article being packaged.
The method may further comprise (h) printing the blank so that the second surface thereof has indicia thereon; and (i) forming one or more display hook-receiving openings in the blank; and (g) may be practiced by passing a display hook through the one or more hook-receiving openings. For example, the method may comprise forming one or more display hook-receiving openings in the blank; and (g) may be practiced by passing a display hook through the one or more hook-receiving openings.
According to another aspect of the present invention an intermediate package is provided comprising: A substantially flat article. A box blank comprising a sheet of paperboard, and having first and second major surfaces. The relatively flat product affixed to the first major surface of the blank. The blank folded around the relatively flat product, and portions of the blank affixed to each other, to form an intermediate package and so that the first major surface is at least primarily an inner surface of the intermediate package, and so that the second major surface is at least primarily an outer surface of the intermediate package, and so that the intermediate package is also substantially flat, having a first interior volume. And the substantially flat intermediate package expandable so that it has a second interior volume at least about three times as great as the first interior volume, to form a completed package.
In the intermediate package, typically the blank further comprises an interior support web moveable between non-supporting and supporting positions, and movable into its supporting position only when the intermediate package is expanded into a completed package form. For example, the support web at least assists in holding the article in position within the intermediate package. Typically, the intermediate package has opposite closed side edges, and opposite open ends, and the closed side edges may be squeezed toward each other to expand the intermediate package first volume to the second volume. Some examples of the article to be packaged comprise at least one of a prepaid phone card, debit card, substantially flat pharmacy product, gift certificate, pad of specialty paper, inflatable primarily elastomeric element, electronic remote control, or printed publication, but other suitable articles may also be practiced. Typically, the blank further comprises end closing flaps which are movable to hold the package in the second interior volume position. The package also typically comprises one or more display hook-receiving openings in the blank, and the second major surface of the blank may be printed with indicia.
The article package may comprise an article comprises an article with a machine readable indicia on a portion thereof, and an opening in the blank, the article positioned so that the machine readable indicia is positioned at and machine readable through the opening.
The completed package packaging a substantially flat article and mounted in a display is typically constructed and displayed by practicing a method as described above.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a package blank is provided comprising a cutout paperboard sheet and including: A first major portion having a free side edge and a second side edge integral with a first completed package side portion; a second major portion being a first side edge integral with the first completed package side portion and a second side edge integral with a second completed package side portion; first and second support web base portions and a support web support portion for supporting an intermediate part of the first and second major portions, the first base portion integral at one side thereof with the second completed package side portion and at the other side thereof with the web support potion, and the second web base portion integral at one side thereof with the web support portion and the second side thereof being free. Closing end flaps formed on at least one of the first and second major portions. And a substantially rectangular cutout formed in at least one of the first and second major portions. The blank may further comprise a display hook mounting flap formed on one of said first card second major portions and having at least one hook securing opening therein.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the inexpensive shipping, yet bulkiness at display, of relatively flat articles. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from a detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.